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Brown-throated Sloth
The 'Brown-throated Sloth '(Bradypus Variegatus) is a species of three-toed sloth native to Central and South America. The main difference between three-toed and two toed sloths is their claws. All sloths have 3 toes, but the two toed sloths has 2 claws, while the three-toed sloths have 3 claws. Also the two-toed sloths have golden fur, no eye markings, and a lighter colored snout. The three-toed sloth has brown fur, with some species having yellow and black markings on their backs. They also have a brown snout and brown eye markings. Also, three-toed sloths are much better swimmers, and instead of retreating higher up into the canopy or farther into the forest like two-toed sloths during the wet season, three-toed sloths will swim to avoid predators and find more food across the river. They are about 2 times faster when swimming than when they're in the trees. These sloths are the slowest land animals and pace through the canopy at an average 0.15 m.p.h. They're so slow that algae can grow on their backs, creating a micro-habitat for beetles and moths. This algae can provide as camouflage, so from far away, predators like Jaguars, Harpy Eagles, and Ocelots, might mistake them to just be part of the green scenery. Sloths evolved to be so slow in the first place because of the food they eat. The leaves they eat don't have much energy or nutrition in them. Some herbivores like the Giant Panda spend most of their day eating energy deficient bamboo stalks to get the energy that they need daily to function. So instead of eating a lot of leaves all day, sloths slow down their pace. The few leaves they do eat will go a long way because they move so slow. And digestion of their food is slow, too. It can take more than a month for them to finish digesting a meal of leaves, which makes them smell very unpleasant. Sloths are also slow so predators won't spot them. Sloths are really good with muscle control in their arms and can keep their arms from getting tired hanging upside-down. Sloths are also the only mammals that have fur that grows away from the extremities ( hand and feet). Their fur parts on the middle of their bellies. So when their hanging upside-down during a rain shower, the rain will hit their fur an just run right off. Sloths and manatees are also the only mammals that can have more or less than 7 cervical vertebrae in their neck. Every week, a sloth comes down from hanging upside-down to go to the bathroom. Some scientists think they poop at the base off the tree to mark their territory and to fertilize the tree they live in. They often squat and do what scientists call a "poo-poo dance". But the time when they go down to the bathroom makes them very vulnerable to attack from predators, especially from behind. But sloths also can turn their heads backwards 280 degrees like an owl to spot predators. Category:Animals Category:Mammals Category:Herbivores Category:Aquatic Creatures Category:Creatures Category:South American Creatures Category:Central American Creatures Category:Season Two Creatures Category:Season Four Creatures Category:Real Life Creatures Category:Least Concern Species Category:Vertebrates Category:Xenarthrans Category:Game Creatures